Tensioning support for visible packages



s. E. HAYS ET AL ,2@6,fi35 TENSIONING SUPPORT FOR VISIBLE PACKAGES I Filed July 26, 1937 INVENTORS. 5/7/1054 5. flfiJ S, Roar-K74. M455. A f v $12K ATTORNEYS,

- I MT E (iii? Patented July 2, 1940 s PATENT OFFICE TENSIONING sUPPoR'rFou vIsrBLE .PAGKAGES ".Samuel E. Hays, Marion, and Robert L. Wise,

I Anderson, Ind; v l Application July 26, 1937, SerialNo. 155,68 it 5 Claims. (circa-4 4) This invention relates to the sanitary packaging of food products and the like and is particularly adapted to. desserts, more especially cakes and the like.

One chief object of the invention is to sanitarily display an edible article such as a cake so that substantially all of its top and side surfaces will be exposed to view.

Another chief object of the inventionis to provide in such a display arrangement an automatic tensioning assemblage whereby the transparent covering is maintained in tautened relation at all times, when such covering is of a character as Cellophane which expands and contracts in accordance with climatic changes.

The chief feature of the invention consists in the support for the transparent covering whereby either or both of the aforesaidobjects may be accomplished.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sanitary package arrangement including the invention in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged radial sectional view of a portion of the package arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the invention shown separately from other parts comprising the package.

In the drawing there is illustrated one embodiment of a sanitary display package in which the article to be sanitarily packaged is represented is a cake l0 supported by a plate ll, there being interposed therebetween a sheet of oil paper or the like l2 whenever desired or necessary.

The plate II is provided with a peripheral groove l3 encircling in this instance a round or circular cake. Extending downwardly and outwardly from the grooved portion is a flange I4 having the lower and outer edge l5. Associated therewith is a locking ring l6, G shaped in cross section and somewhat flexible for mounting and demounting purposes. This ring may be made of paper stock. If of rigid stock, the plate flange should have slight flexibility to permit mounting and demounting of the ring thereon and therefrom, respectively. l f

The transparent, relatively flexible, covering has a top portion H, a pleated side portion l8 and an upturned edge portion l9 nested within the flange I I in the form of the package illustrated herein. The c-shaped locking ring securesthe covering to the plate in article enveloping relation.

Since the covering may be of Cellophane or similar material, it is relatively non-selfsustaining. Hence a support therefore is provided which essentially supports the midportion of the covering in spaced relation to the top of the article and the plate. This top defining portion of the support is substantially similar in outline to the outline of the article and of greater length so as to substantially envelop the same. In Fig. 3, indicates the several peripheral portions of the support, 2| the spacing leg portions and 22 the connections between the lower ends of the legs. As illustrated the arrangement includes three U-shaped structures depending from the peripheral portions in outwardly directed relation, the portions 22 being seated in groove [3. Additional U-shaped structures may be included if desired but three has been found sufi'icient when the peripheral portion 20 is of interrupted The arrangement is such that maxicharacter.

mum side wall exposure of the article is pro- As indicated at A in Fig. 3, there is but one weld in the entire support structure which consists of a single length of metal wire of the desired material, size and stifiness, and which may be plated if desired, or formed of stainless steel. It is not intended, however, by pointing out that the entire support structure is formed from a single piece of wire to indicate that the invention resides in this fact because the same tautening effect can be procured just as readily with a support formed from a number of pieces and comprising as many welds as required to join them together. It is equally obvious that the exact shape of support as herein illustrated is not essenial to achieve the objects accomplished. All modifications consistent with the appended claims are intended to be covered thereby.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied ina cake display arrangement and of circular form, the same may be of any other form and may be applied to other articles as desired. The specific character of the drawing and description, therefore, is to be considered as illustrative only and not in any sense restrictive.

each connected to an adjacentportion of said The invention claimed is:

1. A resilient support device adapted for inclusion in a display package and constituting an operative element thereof including a substantially closed but interrupted upper perimeter of the desired outline and a plurality of leg structures depending therefrom in spaced relation, each of said leg vstructures being formed of two portions upper perimeter at an interruption thereof and to each other at their depended ends.

2. A resilient frame for Wrapper mounting having an interrupted upper perimeter of the desired outline and a plurality of legs depending therefrom and adapted through coaction therewith to automatically maintain the wrapper in an optimum tautened condition regardless of climatic changes, each of saidlegs being formed of two laterallyexpansible and contractible por tions connected to adjacent portions of said upper perimeter at an interruption thereof and to each other at their depended ends.

3. In a display'package, means for automat:

ically tensioning the wrapper thereof, said means having an interrupted perimeter and U-shaped side portions connected at their open ends to said top portion at the interruptions thereof, said frame. being of resilient character.

'5. Awrapper frame including a resilient member having an interrupted perimeter of the desired outline and a plurality of laterally expansible and contractible members each joined to said first mentioned member at a point of interruption thereof and to each other at their opposite ends.

SAMUEL E. HAYS. ROBERT L. WISE. 

